Shoe-last.



No. 687,!76. Patented Nov. l9, I90l. F. E. BENTON.

SHOE LAST.

(Application filed. M 2, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES INVENTOR 4 wad W Altomzy UNITED STATES} PATENT Ornicn.

FRANCIS E. BENTON, OF STOUG-HTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,176, dated November19, 1901.

Application filed May 2, 1901. Serial No. 58,485. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS E. BENTON, a resident of Stoughton, in thecounty of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Shoe-Lasts; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in shoe-lasts, and moreparticularly to thimbles for shoe-lasts, the object of the inventionbeing to provide an improved device of this character which will preventpossibility of splitting or otherwise injuring the last when pressure isapplied thereon.

A further object is to provide an improved thimble which will beeffectually held in the last and cushion blows or pressure thereon.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, aswill be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in section illustratingmy improvements. Fig. 2 is a view of the thimble removed, and Fig. 3 isa view of the lockingcollar.

1 represents a last of ordinary construction composed of wood or othermaterial and preferably provided through the heel portion thereof with atransversely-disposed bolt or strengthening-rod 2, as shown. A socket isbored or otherwise formed in the last to receive my improved thimble 3,which is formed preferably from an oblong rectangular spring-metal blankbent into a tube by punching the blank centrally between its ends, therespective ends of the blank being bent into semicircular shape incross-section, the transverse central portion thereof forming the closedend of the tube, and the lower closed wall thereof extendingconsiderably above the bottom, as clearly shown. The end portion of theblank, or, in other words, the split side sections of the tube, formspring members 5, having slight lateral movement with relation to eachother and made with a peripheral groove 6 near their upper ends. To thebottom 4 a flexible washer or disk '7 is secured by a rivet 8, as shown.More than one washer may, if desired, be provided, they beingconstructed of rubber or other flexible and elastic material, and may,instead of being secured to the thimble, be loosely disposed between theend of the thimble and the socket in the last to cushion any blow orpressureon the last, as will be hereinafter explained.

In the upper portion of the pocket my improved lockingcollar 9 islocated and comprises a plate 10, secured tothe upper face of the lastby screws 11, as shown, and an integral sleeve projecting into thesocket and bent inward at its lower end, forming an internal flange 12to spring into the groove 6 in the thimble and securely hold the same inthe socket, preventing any possibility of its accidental removal.

With the devices heretofore known and the present machine methods now invogue where great pressure is exerted on the last, especially on theheelportion thereof in heelin g the shoe, the thimble is liable to and,in fact, is split or driven into the last and splits or otherwiseinjures or destroys the same, and the thimbles are liable to be pulledout of the last when the" latter is removed from its support, and toavoid these defects of the devices now in use my invention was devised,and its operacan is as follows: When the last is in position to receivethe heel and the necessarily great pressure. or sudden shock appliedthereto, the washers or disks 7 are contracted or yield slightly tocompensate therefor and take up the shock, thereby preventing the lastfrom splitting or being otherwise injured, and this cushioning effect ofthe washers not only lengthens the life of the last, but improves theeffectiveness of the same in the manufacture of shoes. Thelocking-collar 9 being provided with the internal flange 12, located inthe peripheral groove 6 in the thimble, prevents possibility of thewithdrawal of the thimble until desired: It will also be seen that bymaking the thimble, as above described, with the slits terminating aconsiderable distance above the closed bottom a great strength is givento the closed end, as the closed portion of the side wall serves to takea great portion of the strain from the end and prevents splitting thethimble should excessive and sudden pressure be applied to the last;

Instead of making the thimble split, as shown, it may be made solid inany desired manner, and various other slight changes might be resortedto in the general form and arrangement of the several parts describedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my'invention, and hence Iwould have it understood that I do not Wish to limit myself to theprecise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make suchslight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit andscope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire'tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a last having a socket therein, of a splittubelocated in said socket and having a closed lower end parallel withthe bottom of said socket, and a cushion riveted to said bottom of thetube and resting upon the bottom of the socket.

2. The combination with a last having a socket therein and a rod passingtransversely through the last and across the lower end of the socket inthe last, of a sheet-metal thimble inserted in said socket and having aflat lower end, and a cushion secured to the flat lower end of thethimble and resting on said transverse rod. V

3. The combination with a last having a socket therein, of a thimble insaid socket comprising a split tube closed at its inner end, and havinga peripheral groove near its outer end, a flexible washer secured to theinner end of the tube and a locking-collar comprisinga plate secured tothe last, a sleeve thereon projecting into the socket in the last and aninternal flange on the sleeve located in the groove in the thimble.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS E. BENTON. Witnesses:

MAY R. KNOWLTON, HAROLD E. WEsToN.

